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The Serie A has historically been the hunting ground of some of the world's greatest players. While the league has lost some of its competitive edge over the past decade, the quality of players in the league at the moment is a testament to Serie A's status as one of the best leagues in Europe.
Juventus may have dominated the competition for the past several years but their monopoly has finally come to an end this season. Antonio Conte's swashbuckling Inter Milan side upset the odds in sensational fashion to win a historic Scudetto that could mark a turning point in the club's fortunes.
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Inter Milan clinch Serie A title as Juventus edge Napoli to top-four finish
While Inter Milan stormed their way to a 12-point lead in a relatively one-sided title race over the past month, the battle for Champions League qualification saw several intriguing subplots.
Juventus nearly failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League but their blushes were spared when Napoli failed to take all three points away from a clash against Hellas Verona on the final day of the season. The Bianconeri have not been at their best over the past year and have plenty of work to do in the transfer market.
AC Milan, on the other hand, have experienced a resurgence themselves and have qualified for the UEFA Champions League alongside Atalanta. Inter Milan may have dominated the Serie A this season but the league has also witnessed excellent performances from several other players.
We look at the top 10 players in Serie A this season according to WhoScored.com ratings. (All the ratings are out of 10).
#10 Theo Hernandez (AC Milan) | 7.27
AC Milan's extraordinary resurgence after nearly a decade in the shadows has been one of the stories of the Serie A this season. The Rossoneri were legitimate title contenders for much of the campaign and have plenty to look forward to under Stefano Pioli.
Theo Hernandez has been one of AC Milan's standout performers this season and has made a name for himself as one of Serie A's most enterprising full-backs. The 23-year-old defender is an unstoppable creative presence at his best and has managed seven goals and five assists in the league this season.
Under Pioli's tutelage, Hernandez has come into his own and has blossomed into a reliable left-back. The Frenchman has established fruitful relationships with the likes of Ante Rebic and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and is set to play a key role in AC Milan's immediate future.
#9 Hakan Calhanoglu (AC Milan) | 7.28
AC Milan have struggled with chance creation in recent years and have looked to Hakan Calhanoglu to solve their problems in the final third this season. The Rossoneri's creator-in-chief has repaid his side's faith by producing a series of impressive performances and has carved a niche for himself against Serie A's traditionally rigid defensive lines.
Calhanoglu has bagged nine assists this season and has become one of the first names on Stefano Pioli's team sheet. The Turkish midfielder has brought his inimitable set-piece skills to the fore on a number of occasions for AC Milan and is an experienced head in the Rossoneri camp.
Calhanoglu is arguably the most creative member of AC Milan's impressive midfield unit and has brought the best out of the likes of Ante Rebic and Alexis Saelemaekers. The Rossoneri maestro has already scored important goals for his team and is one of the Serie A's best midfielders at the moment.
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#8 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio) | 7.3
Lazio have suffered a Serie A campaign riddled with ups and downs this year but the talented Sergej Milinkovic-Savic remains a rock in their midfield. The Serbian star has been one of Italy's most consistent performers over the past two years and has enjoyed another impressive Serie A campaign with the Biancocelesti.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has grown into a complete box-to-box midfielder with Lazio and his ability to make an impact in both halves of the pitch has held him in good stead. The Lazio man has registered eight goals and nine assists in the Serie A this season and has been pivotal to his side's resurgence in recent months.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has thrived in Lazio's 3-5-2 formation and remains the beating heart of his side. The prodigious midfielder has improved several aspects of his game and is one of the best passers in Serie A.
#7 Henrikh Mkhitaryan (AS Roma) | 7.3
AS Roma have been visibly below their best in the Serie A this season and their seventh-placed finish is a fairly poor reflection of the team's form. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has defied expectations, however, and has managed to rejuvenate his career with some splendid performances.
The attacking midfielder has been the primary creative presence in the final third for the Giallorossi and has thrived alongside Edin Dzeko and Pedro. AS Roma have endured a turbulent injury-ridden season and have been heavily dependent on the experience and poise of Mkhitaryan.
Given his history with newly-appointed manager Jose Mourinho, the Armenian maestro's future in the Serie A remains uncertain. Mkhitaryan's performances with AS Roma have been exceptional nonetheless and are a testament to his talent and resolve.
#6 Rodrigo de Paul (Udinese) | 7.41
Argentina's modern footballing history has been riddled with questions of creativity that only a few generational legends have been able to answer. La Albiceleste have struggled with their midfield lynchpins over the past decade and have Udinese to thank for unearthing one of Serie A's most promising box-to-box enforcers.
Rodrigo de Paul has been one of the few bright sparks of Udinese's season and has excelled in his midfield role. The Argentine star has pulled the strings for his side this season and has produced commendable performances against some of Serie A's strongest midfield units.
De Paul's impressive form has earned him a place in Argentina's squad for the Copa del Rey next month. With nine goals and nine assists from a relatively deep role, the Udinese midfielder could potentially play a crucial role in his national team's fortunes this year.
#5 Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo) | 7.4
Sassuolo have enjoyed an exceptional run of results over the past two years and are becoming a force to reckon with under Roberto De Zerbi. The Neroverdi are prone to bouts of inconsistency, however, and have been let down by defensive lapses on more than one occasion.
Domenico Berardi has more than made up for his side's shortcomings and has become one of Serie A's most promising forwards. The Sassuolo star has found the back of the net 17 times in the league this season and can be a lethal presence in the final third on the day.
Sassuolo have produced some of Europe's most promising talents in recent months and have undergone a renaissance under De Zerbi. Alongside the impressive Manuel Locatelli, Domenico Berardi has come into his own and has become one of Serie A's best wingers.
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#4 Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan) | 7.47
Inter Milan have laid down a marker in Serie A this season and have Antonio Conte to thank for bringing an end to Juventus' league domination. The Nerazzurri manager has revived several careers this season and his work with Romelu Lukaku has brought exceptional results for the club.
The Belgian striker has been in the form of his life and looks a different player to the shadow that was cast out of Manchester United two years ago. With 24 goals in the Serie A, Lukaku has emerged as one of the best players in Italy and has carved a niche for himself in the league.
The 28-year-old forward is in his prime at the moment and will want to make the most of his purple patch this year. Lukaku's 11 assists are also a testament to the improvements the striker has made in his impressive all-round game.
#3 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli) | 7.56
Napoli's heartbreaking result against Hellas Verona on the final day of their campaign should take nothing away from Lorenzo Insigne's incredible season under Gennaro Gattuso. Insigne is Napoli's beating heart at the moment and his creative talents have been pivotal to the team's collective charisma this season.
Napoli are only behind Atalanta and Inter Milan in terms of goals scored this season and have their captain to thank for some exceptional individual performances. Lorenzo Insigne has bagged 19 goals and seven assists in the Serie A this season and remains one of Italy's most talented forwards.
Insigne has come a long way at Napoli and is now one of the team's most experienced heads. The Italian forward is well on his way to becoming a club legend and will want to bring Napoli back into Europe's premier competition in the coming years.
#2 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) | 7.57
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's return to the Serie A last year received a mixed response from several corners. At 39 years of age, the Swedish striker is one of the most experienced players in the league and has already won numerous league titles during his glittering career.
Despite suffering through injury for half the season, however, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has managed to silence his skeptics in typical fashion and has been the driving force behind AC Milan's return to the UEFA Champions League. The seasoned campaigner scored 15 goals in the Serie A this season and has transformed the Rossoneri into a formidable force.
The former Barcelona man has taken to the likes of Ante Rebic and Alexis Saelemaekers and has thrived under Stefano Pioli. Ibrahimovic could potentially stay at the club for another year and is set to look forward to yet another Champions League bid next year.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) | 7.61
Juventus have suffered a miserable season by their sky-high standards and nearly missed out on the UEFA Champions League this year. Amidst several poor performances and crises, the talismanic Cristiano Ronaldo has still managed to shatter goalscoring records in the Serie A.
The Portuguese superstar has scored an astonishing 29 league goals for Juventus this season and has singlehandedly won several games for the Bianconeri. Ronaldo has also surpassed the 100-goal mark at Juventus and remains Serie A's best player.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been Andrea Pirlo's saving grace for the majority of Juventus' Serie A campaign and will want to come back with a vengeance next season. Juventus are planning a squad revamp and will need to rely on their star forward to ease what could be a difficult transition.
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